Complicating the Plastic Surgery Conversation

So many of you have been asking for an episode on plastic surgery culture for so long — but I knew I couldn’t do it until I had the perfect co-host. Someone deeply familiar with the allure and contradictions that infuse the world of plastic surgery… but also conversant in plastic surgery as a form of gender and class performance. I needed Arabelle Sicardi — and was so thrilled when they agreed to come on the show. This conversation will take you to some very unexpected places: it will challenge you, alarm you, and I can promise you’ll never look at Elon Musk the same again. This is one of my favorite episodes we’ve recorded — I think you’ll quickly see why. Thank you to the sponsors of today’s episode! Celebrate Earth Month and make the switch to Blueland today. Get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/culture Stop putting off those doctors appointments! Go to Zocdoc.com/culture to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor. Show Notes: Subscribe to Arabelle’s excellent newsletter The piece from Arabelle’s newsletter I reference re: “Beauty is Going Backwards” A write-up of the BYU study of Utah women and plastic surgery that Arabelle references On Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: my piece in Culture Study and the Culture Study Pod episode I did with Sara Petersen: Will MomTok Even Survive This?!?! My conversation with Sam Sanders re: Nicole Kidman’s Resting Rich Face: Nicole Kidman's Resting Rich Face And now some PLASTIC SURGERY ASMR!!! ***And if you want the running belt I mention in the AAA section — this is it.*** We’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about: What’s going on in AMERICAN PARENTING CULTURE (broadly conceived) right now (with Melissa Wenner Moyer!) TEXAS Culture for our ongoing culture-of-place series How/Why Private Equity is Fucking Everything Up Dark Academia (as in, the literary genre) Van/Skoolie/RV Life Anything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything, it’s literally the name of the segment! As always, you can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here For this week’s discussion: How has your thinking on plastic surgery changed over time? Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. Got a question to submit, a prompt for Ask Anne Anything, or an idea for a future episode? Tell us here. Catch up on everything else happening in the Culture Study universe here. Transcripts will be available here within 24 hours of publishing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.